Swansea University HR Excellence in Research Report 2014
Evaluation
This evaluation was conducted by the Development Officer for Research Staff, supported by the Research
Staff Working Group (RSWG). Oversight and strategic leadership has been provided by the Director of HR,
and the report has been circulated to the PVC (Research) and the Academic & Professional Enhancement
Centre (APECS) Academic Director (Research). Input has also been provided by the University’s Senior
External Funding Officer, and members of the Research stream of the ongoing Professional Services
Review. The RSWG is chaired by the Development Officer for Research Staff, and comprises representation
from research staff, the Athena SWAN officer, the Careers officer (research), and the Senior HR Officer
(recruitment and grading). A report on the 2013 CROS and PIRLS surveys was presented by the
Development Officer for Research Staff to the Strategic Management Group Research (SMGR) and to the
PVC (Research), and the responses of those groups have also been considered.
Data has been gathered from the results of CROS 2013, PIRLS 2013, and through the University’s own HR
and training systems. National comparators have been used for both the CROS and PIRLS survey as a
benchmarking tool. This data has been used to inform priorities for the forward action plan, in consultation
with the RSWG. In addition to research staff involvement through CROS and the RSWG, an internal survey
was carried out in October 2014 to gather up to date data on the priorities and needs of research staff, and
this has also been useful in informing the planning process.
Key achievements and progress 2010-2014
Principle 1: Recruitment and selection
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Role profiles for research only roles have enabled consistency to be applied to grading across all
disciplines and aid in fair recruitment and selection practices. Moving to an online recruitment system
(LUMESSE) has enabled better tracking of candidate data including success rates.
Training has been put in place for all those undertaking recruitment and selection activities. This
includes mandatory equality and diversity training, standalone recruitment and selection training with
a strong experiential element, and an embedded module within the HR Policies and Procedures for Line
Managers training.
Induction for research staff has been improved with the introduction of a termly “New researcher
lunch”. This includes brief presentations from research support librarians, a careers officer, a funding
officer and a sustainability officer, as well as the Development Officer for Research Staff. All new
starters are personally invited, with information also being circulated to their PIs about the event. In
the 2013 CROS survey, satisfaction with induction processes was above the UK average, and
satisfaction with the researcher specific induction had improved from 61.6% to 70%
Principle 2: Reward and Recognition
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Funding was allocated to 2 research staff to attend the Vitae research staff conference in November
2013
Improvements are ongoing in the management of the end of fixed-term and fixed-funded contracts. All
research staff coming to the end of contract are covered by the University’s redeployment policy,
which gives them prior consideration for roles within the institution before wider advertisement.
Research staff are also offered priority access to coaching and careers advice. The Director of Human
Resources, in consultation with the appropriate committees and the UCU union, has rewritten a
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University ordinance to better facilitate the transfer of staff onto open ended contracts. Fixed-term
contract reduction rates are a key priority target for the HR department. A new HR IT system has
recently been introduced which will enable better tracking of conversion rates.
Improving leadership and management at all levels is a key strategic priority, and this includes PIs and
research leaders. HR Policies and Procedures for Line Managers training runs 6 times a year and
includes specific sessions for academic line managers. As well as recruitment and selection, modules
include the management of fixed-term staff and coaching skills training (which is co-delivered by the
Development Officer for Research Staff). All new line managers are invited to the training as part of
their induction information and many existing and long serving line managers have also attended.
Additionally, a suite of leadership and management development opportunities have been
programmed during the last 12 months including a Leadership in Action programme, Leading for
Change coaching training, and Understanding Your People Through Culture Change, which focussed on
emotional intelligence. Participants have been selected on an invitation only basis, with priority given
to senior leaders, including many PIs. A new Principles of Management programme, designed and
delivered by the Development Officer for Research Staff, has just been introduced for those new to
management, and a high proportion of places have been booked by academic line managers, including
PIs. The Development Officer for Research Staff has been closely involved in the development of the
management and leadership programme, and has attended a number of Leadership Foundation events,
including the annual Wales conference and a Swansea University leadership consultancy day.
The University is undergoing a significant change in the next 12 months with the opening of the new
Bay Campus. To support this transition to dual campus operation, a Professional Services Review (PSR)
is currently taking place, led by the PVC designate. One of the key priorities identified in phase 1 is
research support. Proposals have been drawn up to place a “research hub” within each college to
support all those engaged in research activities. The Development Officer for Research Staff has been
consulted during this process.
There has been significant progress in embedding the Personal Development Review across the
institution. The PDR forms part of the Performance Enabling agenda, which won 2 national awards in
2012. CROS and PIRLS showed that numbers of staff receiving appraisals was higher than nationally,
and that satisfaction rates with the usefulness of the process were above the national average.
Satisfaction had also improved since CROS 2011, with 56.5% finding the PDR useful, compared to 49.2%
in 2011. Current figures show that in Autumn 2014, 98% of eligible staff have had a PDR. Staff input
into the Performance Enabling agenda is gathered through a regular members forum. A number of
research staff volunteer to participate in this forum to ensure that the researcher voice is represented.
A section of the Researcher development website is dedicated to PIs. PIs of new research staff are
contacted within a month of new appointments to make them aware of the support available to them.
Principle 3 and 4: Support and Career Development
Principle 3
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A number of strong partnerships have been formed since 2013, with departments and services that can
provide positive input into the development of research staff. For example, in 2013, a partnership was
formed with the Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership (IfEL) within the university, to provide a
number of training and development opportunities to research staff. These included a 3 day bespoke
programme entitled “Enterprising Researchers”. A strong partnership with Swansea University
Librarians has enabled research staff to take up a range of training opportunities, particularly in the
areas of open access publishing, online portfolio management and networking, social media, and
research databases. In 2013, the postgraduate skills training programme was opened up to all research
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staff, in addition to staff only sessions. Librarians attend new research staff inductions to highlight the
support available, and also took part in the recent career development day for fixed-term research
staff. Since 2013, the sustainability team have provided information sessions; both stand alone and
within new research staff inductions to highlight sustainability principles and the support and resources
available to researchers. The careers service has also been participating in the new research staff
inductions. The new researcher development webpages signpost the availability of 1-2-1 careers
support and advice, and a number of careers themed seminars for research staff have been carried out.
Uptake of careers services by research staff has increased substantially over the past 2 years. Careers
officers took part in the recent career development day for fixed-term research staff and the careers
officer (research) participates in the RSWG. Funding officers from the Department of Research and
Innovation have also been participating in research staff induction. Recently, the Development Officer
for Research Staff has begun participating in the induction sessions run by DRI for all new academic,
project, and research staff. This has provided an opportunity to highlight the support available,
especially to new PIs, who make up the bulk of the audience. The Development Officer for Research
Staff has also worked closely with the new Impact Acceleration Officer on a number of projects,
including the provisions of business engagement, networking, and media training within the 2014/15
research staff programme.
Swansea University became a EURAXESS Local Contact point in 2013, EURAXESS information is
circulated to new international researchers, and displayed in APECS.
Principle 4
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Coaching is available to all research staff on a one-to-one basis with the Development Officer for
Research Staff. The Swansea University Research Forum (SURF) also runs a popular annual research
coaching scheme, where research staff are able both to become coaches, and to be coached. Mentors
are identified at the recruitment stage for all new staff.
A broad range of training and development activities, led both by external consultants and internal
specialists is available to research staff. Courses are aligned to the Researcher Development
Framework.
The 2013 CROS survey showed that the large majority of research staff felt encouraged to engage in
personal and career development (82.1% compared to 73.6% nationally)
In 2013, the Post Graduate Certificate of Teaching in Higher Education (PGCtHE) programme – leading
to Associate Fellowship of the HEA, was opened up to research staff who have an eligible teaching load.
3 research staff are currently undertaking the programme.
Principle 5: Researchers’ Responsibilities
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Researchers are encouraged to engage with coaching and careers advice.
Research staff engagement with the CROS survey in 2013 was significantly increased compared to the
2011 survey, and well above the national average (37.6% compared to 26.1% nationally).
There is still a significant expectation gap between those who aspire to obtain a permanent academic
post/career and those who are likely to do so. The Development Officer for Research Staff is working
closely with careers services to provide information about alternative careers. At the same time,
development opportunities are provided for those who wish to explore the academic career path.
Principle 6: Equality and Diversity
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The Development Officer for Research Staff works closely with Athena SWAN – sitting on both the
Athena SWAN University self-assessment team and Athena SWAN career development working group.
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The Athena SWAN officer sits on the RSWG and has also attended training on the Vitae “Every
Researcher Counts” programme.
The Development Officer for Research Staff has taken part in the Women in Medicine and Science
(WIMS) seminar series – giving a seminar on assertiveness. A further seminar on learning and
development opportunities is scheduled for early 2015.
A Career development day for fixed term researchers was recently organised by the Development
Officer for Research Staff with the support of the Athena SWAN career development working group.
This was attended by around 30 research staff, with 85% providing very positive evaluation.
Principle 7: Implementation and Review
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The newly formed Research Staff Working Group will review progress against the action plan on a
regular basis throughout its life, and will consult on any future plans. The report and plans will be
available for scrutiny on the research staff webpages.
Future Priorities
This section articulates the priorities that have been identified for the next 2 years. The overarching
priorities are leadership and management development for PIs, and research staff engagement in the
broadest sense. It is strongly anticipated that further actions will be added, and existing actions amended
following the results of the CROS survey in Spring 2015. For success measures and specific actions aligned
to these priorities, please see Action Plan 2015/16
Principle 1: Recruitment and selection
 The development of clear guidance on researcher promotion and career pathways within the
institution, with events to promote to researchers.
Principle 2: Reward and Recognition
 A continued emphasis on leadership and management training for PIs and research managers to
develop their skills and therefore enhance the management and leadership of research staff within the
institution.
Principle 3 and 4: Support and Career Development
 Extension of activities designed to develop teaching skills for those researchers who desire an academic
career.
 Development of greater opportunities for collaboration and networking among research staff.
 Provision of more short sessions and seminars, online resources and blended learning from 2015
onwards to ensure maximum engagement by research staff, and to support researchers on the new
campus
Principle 5: Researchers’ Responsibilities
 Research staff representatives from the 3 largest research active Colleges to sit on the RSWG.
 Use of the CROS in 2015 survey, with the emphasis on maintaining the participation rates from 2013.
Principle 6: Equality and Diversity
 Continued action to promote equality and diversity, including the submission for an institutional
Athena SWAN silver award in late 2015 /early 2016.
 Mandatory diversity training for all new staff, with a phased roll out to existing staff members.
Principle 7: Implementation and Review
 RSWG to meet twice a year to review progress against action plan.